Bessus (died summer 329 BC) was a Persian nobleman and satrap of Bactria and Sogdiana, and later self-proclaimed king of Persia. He is best known for murdering and usurping his king, Darius III, after the Persian army had been defeated by Alexander the Great. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC 330 BC - 329 BC - 328 BC 327 BC 326... The term Persian Empire refers to a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that Ta-Hsia be merged into this article or section. ... Sogdiana (Sug`ud,Sug`diyona -Uzbek, Sughd - Tajik, Sugdiane, Old Persian Sughuda, Persian:سغد, Chinese: Kang-Kü) ancient civilization of Iranian peoples, then was a province of the Achaemenian Empire, the eighteenth in the list in the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great (i. ... Darius III (near middle) battling Alexander the Great (far left) Darius III or Codomannus (c. ... Alexander the Great (in Greek , transliterated Megas Alexandros) (July 356 BC – June 11, 323 BC), King of Macedon (336–323 BC), is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient Greeks before his death. ...

In the Battle of Gaugamela (October 1, 331 BC) he commanded the troops of his satrapy under the command of Darius III against Alexander's Macedonian army. Bessus survived the loss at Gaugamela and remained with Darius III, whose routed army eluded Alexander's forces and spent the winter in Ecbatana. The next year Darius III attempted to flee to Bactria in the east. Bessus, conspiring with fellow satraps, deposed Darius III. He likely intended to surrender the king to the Macedonians, but Alexander ordered his forces to brutally pursue the Persians even after receiving word of Darius' arrest. In July 330 BC, near Hecatompylus, the panicked conspirators mortally wounded Darius III and left him to be found by a Macedonian soldier. Combatants Macedon Greek allies Persia Commanders Alexander the Great Darius III Strength 7,500 cavalry 40,000 infantry probably around 250,000 230,000 Persian infantry, 20,000 cavalry 200 scythed chariots war elephants Casualties At least 4,200 killed and wounded About 200,000 killed and wounded or more... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC Years: 336 BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC - 331 BC - 330 BC 329 BC... Ecbatana (Hañgmatana in Old Persian, Agbatana in Aeschylus, written Agamtanu by Nabonidos, and Agamatanu at Behistun) was the capital of Astyages (Istuvegü), which was taken by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the sixth year of Nabonidos (549 BC). ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC - 330 BC - 329 BC 328 BC 327...

Bessus proclaimed himself the king of Persia and adopted the name Artaxerxes. His self-proclaimed ascension was not without precedent, since the satrap of Bactria is a title often given to the noble next in the line of succession to the Persian throne. But since most of the Persian empire had been conquered and Bessus only ruled over a loose alliance of renegade provinces, historians do not generally regard him as an official Persian king. Artaxerxes was the name of several rulers of the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia: Artaxerxes I Artaxerxes II Artaxerxes III Arses of Persia is believed to have taken the royal title of Artaxerxes IV. Bessus, the Persian nobleman who murdered Darius III of Persia, renamed himself Artaxerxes when he claimed the...

Bessus returned to Bactria and tried to organize a resistance among the eastern satrapies. Alexander was forced to move his force to suppress the uprising in 329 BC. Frightened by the approaching Macedonians, Bessus' own people arrested and surrendered him. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC 330 BC - 329 BC - 328 BC 327 BC 326...

Alexander ordered that Bessus' nose and ears be cut off, which was a Persian custom for those involved in rebellion and regicide; we learn from the Behistun inscription that Darius I punished the usurper Phraortes in a similar manner. Bessus was then crucified in the place where Darius III was killed. The broad definition of Regicide is the deliberate killing of a king, or the person responsible for it. ... The Behistun Inscription, carved into a cliffside, gives the same text in three languages, telling the story of King Darius conquests. ... Darius I of Persia Darius the Great (ca. ... Fravartish or Phraortes (c. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang there until dead. ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

• Bessus / Artaxerxes V